How to Shave a Bichon

Written by marguerite lance

Share

Tweet

Share

Pin

Email

To shave your Bichon, use only animal grooming clippers. (woman and bichon dog image by Pierrette Guertin from Fotolia.com)

A Bichon Frise is a small dog covered with medium-length fluffy, cottony, white hair. Because of the quality of Bichon Frise hair, it is inevitable that the coat will get matted and unmanageable if not groomed on a regular basis. This is particularly true for Bichons who live in moist climates. Some groomers recommend shaving Bichons every three to five weeks, but such regular professional grooming can be expensive. Though shaving and grooming your Bichon Frise takes time, if you have the right tools, you can do the job yourself and save some cash.

Things you need

Instructions

1

Put the collar and leash on your Bichon. Place your Bichon on the waist-high flat grooming surface. Attach the leash to the overhead leash holder or have a friend hold your Bichon's leash and help steady him while you shave him.

Raise your Bichon up by placing your off hand under his breast bone and lifting. Keep his hind legs placed on the table. Clippers in your dominant hand, shave your Bichon's genital area.

4

Shave your Bichon's entire stomach area with the #10 clipper blade. Stop shaving around the point where your Bichon's nipples begin so that her chest and breast area are not shaved with the #10 clipper blade.

5

Lower your Bichon back to the table so he is standing on four legs again. Turn off the clippers. Replace the #10 clipper blade with a #7 clipper blade, unless you want your Bichon's hair very short. If you do want the hair short, replace the #10 clipper blade with a #4 clipper blade.

6

Turn on your clippers. Starting at the back of the head, shave your Bichon's head, back and sides. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.

7

Lift your Bichon up once more as you did in Step 3. Shave her chest and breast area.

8

Turn off your clippers and release your Bichon from the leash and lift him down from the table. Make sure you praise him for a job well done.

Tips and warnings

For the best look, do not shave your Bichon's head, ears, legs or tail. Use scissors to trim those areas.

Consider having a professional groomer shave and trim your Bichon's coat the first time. After that, you can follow the shape of the original, professional cut.

Continually talk to your Bichon and pet her during the shaving process, reassuring her that all will be fine.